Why Property Rules by Chrissy Dicks

Why Property Rules by Chrissy Dicks

Walk into the Ship Pub in St. John’s, NL on a Saturday night in February and you’re instantly hit with a wall of body heat, loud chatter and all the Black Horse you can stomach. It’s no secret that the St. John’s audience is a spirited one. Getting out to see live shows is how most of us get through the winter here – and it helps that we’ve got an unproportionately strong roster of local bands to choose from. Property is one of these bands. When Sarah Harris (vocals/guitar), Jack Etchegary (guitar/drum machine) and Liam Wight (bass) step on stage, the whole room pushes to the front.

Their sound is described as ‘angular pop’ but to me it’s more engaging new music that will pull you in and leave you feeling energized. Think full riff-based melodies paired with thoughtfully crafted and relatable lyrics. They may be the self-proclaimed ‘runts’ of the scene but the way they effortlessly experiment with sound and genre clearly separates them from the pack. Every song on their 2017 release ‘Privacy’ is its own anthem for those of us who’ve chosen to live and create on a (mostly freezing) rock in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

As for their live show – Do. Not. Miss. It. It’s sharp and expert and fun as hell. I specifically remember the first time I saw Property play and the wave of excitement I felt for the kind of new music that our little city was turning out. As the band’s lead, Sarah generously gives to the audience with distinctive vocals that are catchy and honest – not to mention if you get close enough she may even lock eyes with you while she plays. It’s a thing. You should try it.

Here’s the inside scoop – Sarah, Liam, and Jack are excellent humans. They’ll play in your band, they’ll do sound at your show, they’ll help you plan your festival. They show up to support and they make things happen. This is the band you want at your festival – they are pros at what they do but they are also true music fans who will check out every show and then hit up the late night dance party.

Property is refreshing, relevant, and it’s everything you need right now. They’ve got an EP of new music coming your way on April 5th, just in time for Kazoo Fest 2019!

Chrissy Dicks is the Executive Director of Lawnya Vawnya in St. John’s, Newfoundland.